Despite Its Reputation,
Fingerprint Evidence
Isn't Really Infallible

By

Sharon Begley Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal

Updated June 4, 2004 12:01 a.m. ET

Last December, the editor in chief of Science, one of the world's leading journals, editorialized that the term "forensic science" was an oxymoron and that fingerprint evidence in particular had never been subjected to rigorous scientific scrutiny. Back then, his critique lacked a certain urgency. After all, there were no high-profile cases of fingerprints leading to the arrest or conviction of the innocent.

Now there are two. Last week, the Federal Bureau of Investigation admitted that the "match"...